The Portland daily press., 1887-12-24
WRECKS ON THE RAIL.
Death and Injury In a Smash on the
eWisconsln Central.
Passengers ION the Minnesota and
Northwestern Shaken up-
Scenes That Were at Once Ludicrous
and Pitifui.

PHILLIPS, Wis, Dec. 23.-The evening
passenger train on the Wisconsin Central
railway was thrown from the track by a
broken rail near Fifield last night One per-
son was killed and fourteen wounded. The
person killed was NJ. Montia of Butternut.
The wounded are:
Conductor Greenfield, fatally.
Theodore Morney, of Eanclair.
Mr.. Clements, wife and three children, Of
Duluth, all severely.
Mr.. Mah0ney, OF Ashland.
Mrs Sullivan.
John Nottingham, Of Ashland, and FIVE
others.
MILWAUKEE, Dec. 23.-The Wisconsin
Central train left Ashland at 7.30 last even
ing and was wrecked at midnight by brok-
en- rail between Fairfield and Phillips. There
was two fatalities and score Of passengers
were injured. Few in the sleeper escaped
without injuries of some kind. Conductor
Greenfield was caught in the falling debris
on his way through the train and killed
More Frightened Than Hurt.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Dec. 23.-Probably the
worst shaking sup ever experienced by a
train load of passengers. without killing
single person outright, occurred to 100 peo-
pie coming to Chicago on the regular train Of
seven coaches on the Minnesota & North
western road this morning. Fully forty pas
sengers are injured. five seriously, and two
perhaps fatally. Each of the seven coaches
had both ends smashed, and all we're pitched
off the track, some being turned over on
their Sides No confiagration ensued, al
though every coach contained an old-fash-
ioned stove. The affair happened just after
the train passed Long Bridge, which Is ten
John H. Davidson, a well known resident
of st. Paul, arrived this evening, and says:
sit was merry crowd on board the seven
cars. First was the baggage car, and then
came the first-class passenger, second-class
passenger and buffet cars, and three sleepers
including one Mann boudoir car. OF the $50
passengers, so were excursionists, mainly
from Winnipeg The others were near
ly all from Minnesota, Montana and Dakota.
We left Freeport and were near Germany
when there came fearful jolt and wild
swaying and plunging forward Something
struck me across the thighs or was thrown
against it, daZing me for a moment. The
people were tumbled in every direction,
shrieking while the terrible jolting seemed
unending. Before the car stopped the pas
sengers were scrambling helter-skilter over
each other to get out. When | reached the
air was bruised and sore all over and
scarcely able to stand. l noticed nothing OF
the train on the track but the engine. We
had been going 25 miles an hour and the cars
had plunged along tle ties or run on either
side from 100 to 200 feet.
One coach left its trucks on the track and
slid into a corn-feld plowing up the
dirt to depth Of two or three feet.
1t was ludicr0us, If not pitiful, to see the
blood stains through the mire' and hear the
groans of those who were hurt. Broken
glass had done the most painful work. Near
ly everybody could get around, though cut,
bruised and besmirched. Three gentlemen
ladies were carried into farm house, appar-
emily dying. One, Miss Hume Of Dubuque,
received injuries in the hip and back. The
accident was due to the spreading of the
rails. The other lady. whose injuries may
be fatal, is Mrs. John McGuffin, Of Verden,
Dakota Three gentlemen badly hurt are:
5. G. Abraham, of Minneapolis.
A. ). Scrimgern, or Crinigene, Of st. Paul.
A. Kemp, Of Devils Lake.